Effect of Single Session Solution Focused Circle Technique on Working Memory, Hope and Psychological Well-being Among Individuals with Depression: A Controlled Study.

BACKGROUND: Depression is a common mental health condition that is often misunderstood, leading to delays in early intervention. It can impair working memory, reduce hope, and negatively affect psychological well-being. Although Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) is an effective first-line treatment, its structured and cognitively demanding approach may reduce treatment adherence in the Indian context. Therefore, there is a need for brief and accessible early interventions. The present study examined the effectiveness of a single-session Solution-Focused Circle Technique, derived from Solution-Focused Therapy, for the preliminary management of depression. PURPOSE: The present study investigated the effectiveness of single session Solution-Focused Circle Technique on working memory, hope, and psychological well-being among individuals with depression. METHOD: The study adopted a controlled pretest-posttest design with 40 participants aged 25-45 years, diagnosed with mild to moderate depression as per ICD-10 DCR criteria, selected through purposive sampling. Participants were systematically allocated equally into experimental and control groups. The experimental group received a 30-minute single session of Solution-Focused Circle Technique, while the control group underwent a 30-minute waiting period. BDI-II, Digit Span Test, Adult Hope Scale, and Psychological Wellbeing Scale were used, and data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent and paired-sample t-tests. RESULTS: The experimental group showed significant improvement in working memory, hope, and psychological well-being compared with the control group. Findings suggest that the Solution- Focused Circle Technique may help enhance working memory and reduce cognitive difficulties associated with depression. CONCLUSION: The findings indicated the use of solution focused circle technique to enhance cognitive function, boost hope, and improve overall well-being in individuals with depression. Thus, SFCT may serve as a brief and feasible preliminary intervention to support psychological health in this population.